She wanted to feel 100% ready to study abroad but had some concerns about how her studying abroad experience would be.

Let me tell you all about what she looked into and considered as she made her plans to study abroad in India, and hopefully, this will help ease YOUR worries about your studying abroad experience. And make it a little less scary!

Here is her story and 3 of her primary concerns regarding her study abroad experience:

1. What to eat?

Angelie was worried about the food. What if she didn’t like it? Would she eat peanut butter and jelly the whole time?
Even though the food was not going to be her deciding factor, it was important for her to learn more.

Angelie talked to a few of her friends who have studied abroad about their food experience. They assured her that Indian food is a must try and that Chaat (deep-fried dough wafers), Naan (Leavened Indian Flatbread), and Chole (Chickpea Curry) are a must!

She also went on to the Puranik Foundation website and learned that her all-inclusive trip included 3 meals + 3 snacks a day of delicious and healthy organic food.

2. How to communicate in a language you don’t speak?

Angelie knew that it might be challenging to talk and make new friends in another country, especially if she didn’t speak the language.

That’s why she considered countries that spoke English along with the native language.

India was a perfect choice!

Not only that, but the Impact India program she chose had English speaking staff, which included an International student partner, making it very easy to immerse in the new culture and learn the new language along the way.

By the end of her studying abroad experience in India, she learned so much about the culture that not speaking the language was no longer a concern at all!

3. Living Situation: Travel alone or with a group?

As Angelie researched her trip to study abroad, she realized she needed to figure out where to live.

Did she want to live with a host family or live in a dorm? In her mind, she weighed the pros and cons of both.

When she learned about our Impact India program, she instantly knew it was the perfect fit for her!

In a dorm or host family, there is no guidance, no planned activities, and it’s very difficult to make any friends.

She wanted to focus more on volunteering and truly experience local culture first-hand instead of spending time planning activities.

Plus, she didn’t want to feel any discomfort concerning safety.

Through her Impact India all-inclusive study abroad program, Angelie resided at the Samarthagad Hostel And Holistic Center. The center is a private location amongst hills, surrounded by nature with fresh, breathable air.

It was more than she could ever dream off!

Angelie learned a lot as she studied abroad, but here are her top 3 takeaways:
1. How important color, in their clothes and objects, played with the locals in expressing themselves.
2. The communities were very welcoming. Very open to students and new people.
3. The children were very disciplined. Children listened to their elders, parents, and teachers. They gave a lot of respect.

Angelie realized there were so many things to consider and choose when she was planning to study abroad, but after the trip, she realized her choices were the right ones, and that made her experience unforgettable.

We hope Angelie’s experience helped you get ready to choose the right program to make the most of YOUR studying abroad experience.

As with anything in life, follow your heart, research, and start planning for a life-changing experience!

Get in touch with us if you would like to learn more about study abroad. (insert link)